Endurance athlete Mallory Arnold was struggling with extreme fatigue when her coach made an unexpected suggestion: start eating meat again. Arnold, 26, had adopted a plant-based diet in high school and was initially reluctant to reincorporate to animal protein. But she was also desperate to avoid the post-training crashes that left her passed out on the floor. So she decided to give meat a try鈥攁nd immediately realized that she had no clue how to cook even a simple chicken breast. Thus began a journey听with the 国产吃瓜黑料 Food team that took her from a family farm to a whole-animal butcher to a professional kitchen, with the primary goal of finding her lost energy while actually learning to enjoy preparing and eating meat along the way.

The post A Vegetarian Runner鈥檚 Quest to Become a Meat Eater appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I鈥檓 obsessed with running gels.听

鈥淵ou鈥檙e hooked,鈥� my fianc茅 would say every time I came home from a trip to my local running store with a heap of energy gels. “It鈥檚 not goo,” I would tell him. It鈥檚 gel.

I thought he was just gel-ous that I basically got to eat frosting on my long runs, sucking down flavors like salted caramel, birthday cake, campfire s鈥檓ores, and sea salt chocolate. (Now, my mouth is watering.)

I discovered the magic of gels when I started running marathons two years ago. It was a great trade-off in my mind鈥�you鈥檙e running longer miles, so you get a reward about halfway. Fun! I distinctly remember running the Hamilton Glow Marathon in Hamilton, Ohio, and shouting at my dad on the side of the course, 鈥淚 GET TO EAT A GEL SOON!鈥澨�

But, I鈥檒l be honest: my zealousness for energy gels was not the most financially healthy habit. Gels are $1.60 a piece at my local running store, and I buy three or four a week to stick in my drawers, backpack, car, and jackets. After a year of this, I estimate I spent around $300 on gels alone.听

Even more concerning, I believed I wouldn鈥檛 be able to run well without gels and never completed a long run without one. I went out of town one weekend and didn鈥檛 bring any gels, so I refused to join my dad for a long run. At the time, I truly thought I wouldn鈥檛 get through half the run without a gel.

That particular weekend out of town was eye-opening. I knew I wanted to stop leaning on gels, but I still needed a way to replenish lost electrolytes and glycogen. So I decided I was going to start substituting energy gels with whole, real foods to prove I didn鈥檛 need them to be a good runner. It was time to face my fears and kick the crutch I鈥檇 been leaning on for over a year.

What to Look for in an Energy Gel Replacement

The editors at 听provided听a perfect resource for learning what I needed to do to fuel my long runs with natural foods.听听

Authors Caitlyn Pilington and Malissa Rodenburg write: 鈥�Fueling is important during long runs, but your choice of what to fuel with lends itself to flexibility. Ultimately, all of our bodies are different and, therefore, tolerate things differently. You鈥檒l no doubt see a majority of athletes fueling themselves with gels, blocks, sports drinks, or other commercial products. And there鈥檚 honestly nothing wrong with that鈥攕ports products are engineered to be absorbed properly and help you perform.鈥�

There are all kinds of brands of energy gels, but I鈥檒l be touching on my favorite, GU. Each packet contains 100 calories, 125 mg of sodium, 40 mg of potassium, 22 g of carbs, and 7 g of sugar. So, a gel replacement would need to cover those bases plus be compact, easily digestible, and (hopefully) tasty.听

Nutritionist Sarah Cuff focuses on holistic fueling, so she was eager to speak on the topic of replacing gels with whole foods. She says the three main factors to consider in a gel or whole-food replacement are sodium, carbohydrates, and sugars.

Sodium

If you鈥檙e a 鈥榮uper sweater鈥� like me (I could fill a bathtub wringing out my running clothes), you鈥檒l want to pay close attention to this next bit.听

鈥淲hen we sweat, sodium is the electrolyte lost at the highest proportion,鈥� Cuff says. 鈥淪o while most energy gels will include some potassium and magnesium and calcium, they are not necessarily required because we don鈥檛 lose them in any high amount when we sweat. Sodium is most important.鈥�

She adds that the amount of sodium needed depends on a variety of factors, like how much you generally sweat, the temperature, and how much energy you鈥檙e exerting. Cuff says a good rule of thumb is if you鈥檙e drinking one liter of water an hour, you want to ensure you consume at least .

Learning this, I realized the sodium in my favorite GU gel and the whole food replacements don鈥檛 meet those standards, so I needed to supplement with sodium in my water.

鈥淪ome athletes who want to be as natural as possible might use coconut water and sprinkle sea salt in it鈥攊t鈥檚 not super tasty, though some people like it,鈥� Cuff says. 鈥淚鈥檇 suggest getting a natural electrolyte drink such as or . Make sure they have at least 300 mg of sodium per serving.鈥�

Carbohydrates

鈥淎nother important number we want to be looking at is the carbohydrate number because that鈥檚 what primarily fuels our long runs,鈥� Cuff says. 鈥淲e know from studies that we need 30 g to 60 g per hour on long runs and up to 90 g on really long runs (like marathons and ultramarathons) to adequately replace what we鈥檙e burning. The question is, where can we get those carbs?鈥�

GU gels contain a sort of 鈥榮uper鈥� carbohydrate called maltodextrin, which is easily broken down while exercising and, therefore, great for most athletes 鈥� though it can cause gastrointestinal issues in some. So, my whole-food gel replacements must contain up to 90 grams of carbs and break down as easily as maltodextrin.听

Sugars

Sugars are required for the fueling process on long runs. Most gels use carbohydrates like maltodextrin to produce glucose and fructose. When you intake sugar, your body breaks it down into glucose and fructose, which can be used for energy right away.听

鈥淚deally, we鈥檙e looking at what鈥檚 easy for our digestive system to break down while we鈥檙e running,鈥� Cuff says. 鈥淪ugar is digested pretty darn quickly. Now, straight table sugar would be difficult to stomach, but there are into small serving sizes. That鈥檚 a very natural whole food alternative to gels.鈥�

My Energy Gel Replacements

Over the course of four weeks, I packed five different snacks on my longer runs, ranging from 10 to 16 miles, and ranked which ones worked the best for me and which ran me into the ground.

I also took Cuff鈥檚 advice and tried , which contains 70 calories, 17 g of carbs, 15 g of sugar, and 710 mg of sodium per serving.

White Bread with Honey

Calories: 132 | Carbs: 28 g | Sugar: 7 g | Sodium: 180 mg听

Probably the most boring sandwich I鈥檝e ever made turned out to be my favorite energy source during this experimentation period.

I took one piece of white bread, drizzled on a little bit of honey, folded it up, and wrapped it in a sandwich bag. It fits neatly in my running pack around my waist and, even if it did get a little smushed, tasted glorious when I needed it. I had zero stomach troubles and felt as energized as when I took an espresso-flavored gel.听

Sweet Potato

Serving size: 4 oz. | Calories: 112 | Carbs: 26 g | Sugar 6 g | Sodium: 73 mg | Potassium: 448 mg

I鈥檓 a fiend for sweet potatoes. They鈥檙e excellent for running because of their phytochemical content, which can reduce post-workout inflammation, as I鈥檓 usually all kinds of inflamed after a good tenner.

I chose a small sweet potato, about the size of my palm, and cooked it long enough before my run so that it was cooled. I wrapped it in a paper towel and stuck it in my pack, and when the time came, I ate that sucker like it was a donut, skin and all.

I didn鈥檛 finish the whole thing because half did the trick. I felt fueled, and it digested well. The trade-off is the low sodium content, but because I supplemented it with my water, it evens out.

Banana

Serving size: Medium banana | Calories: 110 | Carbs: 28 g | Sugar 15 g | Potassium: 450 mg

Tried and true, I knew bananas would never fail me. This is often my pre-run snack because I can digest it easily, and it has carbs and natural sugars that can break down quickly. The downside is that it didn鈥檛 fit in my running pack, so I had to put it in my jacket pocket, which was a little uncomfortable. Like the sweet potato, there鈥檚 little sodium, but I had my supplemented water.听

Cereal

Serving size: 陆 cup| Calories: 100 | Carbs: 20 g | Sugar 1 g | Sodium: 140 mg | Potassium: 170 mg听

For this energy gel replacement, I packed a cup of dry, plain Cheerios in a tiny baggie. While I鈥檓 a big fan of cereal, it鈥檚 not exactly easy to pour into your mouth while running. I also didn鈥檛 feel as fueled during the second half of my run, leading me to believe I might not have packed enough.

The issue is, if I packed anymore, I鈥檇 be crunching cereal for a whole mile. Plus, it really dried out my mouth and made me thirsty.听

Dates

Serving size: 2 dates | Calories: 133 | Carbs: 36 g | Sugar 32 g | Potassium: 334 mg听

I had high expectations for this snack. Dates are delicious, compact, and full of natural sugars, so it makes sense why runners sometimes substitute them for energy gels. However, I didn鈥檛 anticipate how the three Medjool dates would glob onto each other into a golf ball-sized glob. That wasn鈥檛 the biggest issue, though; my stomach did not do well with dates.

I experienced camping, bloating, and overall, my digestive issues caused me to cut the run short. Further research led me to discover that my body must not have liked the high amount of fiber and sulfites in the dates. So, this snack may work for some, but for me, it was a hard pass.听

Will I Give Up Energy Gels?

This experiment resulted in more than great runs and weird stares (have you ever seen a runner chomping on a whole sweet potato?!); it also provided me with the answer that I was looking for: I don鈥檛 need energy gels to be a good runner. They鈥檙e not a magical potion that gives me a boost as good as the speckled mushroom in Mario Kart.听

But, energy gels are a useful, efficient tool to quickly recover lost glycogen and keep you going on long runs. I certainly have no desire to give them up, but I know now that I can substitute a gel for whole foods if I so please. In the weeks after my trial, I purchased one gel. Given my track record, I鈥檇 say that鈥檚 pretty goo-d.听

The post I Replaced Running Gels with Real Food. This Is What Happened. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Colleen Quigley is cooking 鈥� not just on the track, but in the kitchen, too.

The middle-distance runner, steeplechase expert and Olympian is the current World Record holder in the 4×1500 meters relay, which she set at a 2020 Bowerman Track Club inter-squad meet. Between juggling famous sponsors (hello, LULULEMON!), smashing running records, biking, skiing and swimming, prioritizes fueling herself with delicious, whole foods.

鈥淚鈥檝e been into cooking and sharing meals with loved ones for just about as long as I can remember,鈥� Quigley says.听

She has created dozens of recipes ranging from naturally-sweetened Steeple Squigs Granola to an open-faced sandwich she calls The Sando. The Sando is a 鈥榣unch version鈥� of Quigley鈥檚 favorite, avocado toast. It boasts of kale, tuna, walnuts and avocado. Plus, she substitutes mayonnaise with greek yogurt instead for an extra punch of protein.

Quigley loves that cooking, unlike baking, can be pretty forgiving and allows for experimentation.听

鈥淚 usually start with a recipe that looks good and then I tweak it based on what I have handy or what I鈥檓 craving, and I end up with something delicious鈥� usually!鈥�

The Rundown: What does Quigley eat in a day?

Breakfast

For breakfast, Quigley often has oatmeal because it sits well in her stomach and is easily digestible. She prefers steel oats for a more hearty texture, but they do take longer to cook so if she鈥檚 late for training or in a hurry, old fashioned oats work too. In her oats, she combines almond milk, a chopped banana, any kind of nut, chia seeds or sunflower seeds and Vital Proteins Vital Performance in the chocolate flavor.

Sometimes she switches it up though and has avocado toast, or a muffin recipe from her teammate Run Fast Eat Slow.听

Lunch or pre-run

Often people assume athlete鈥檚 diets are more focused on nutrients than taste, which Quigley confirms can be true. Sometimes she has to fuel with 鈥榖oring鈥� or 鈥榖land鈥� foods to lower the risk of stomach irritation. Her lunch or pre-workout meal consists of rice, chicken and vegetables.

To make this meal, she cooks equal parts short grain brown rice and water in an Instant Pot for 20 minutes. Her favorite way to prepare chicken is grilled 鈥� she says there鈥檚 something about it that really elevates the flavor profile 鈥� with Traeger chicken seasoning or salt and pepper.听

For her favorite sauce to top it all off with, Quigley points to .听

When Quigley isn鈥檛 eating before race day or a big workout, she reintroduces all the garlicky, spicy foods back into her meals. She loves Mexican food and will gladly eat the garlickiest plate of food as long as it鈥檚 not before a race.

Post-run

Post-run, Quigley doesn鈥檛 get too crazy. In fact, she prefers leftovers.

鈥淚 heat up food quickly to get that post-workout nutrition in my body ASAP and start the recovery process,鈥� she says.听

Snacks

In between meals, Quigley snacks on .听

鈥淭hese are quick fuel that I keep in the freezer so they鈥檙e always ready to go when I need to grab something as I rush out the door,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd they鈥檙e super portable if I need to pop a couple into a baggie for the road.鈥�

Dinner

In the winter, Quigley鈥檚 diet shifts to hearty, warm, rich foods. Training in cold weather requires more energy, which breaks down extra glycogen. This means fueling properly is more essential than ever, especially if you鈥檙e accustomed to working out in warmer temperatures.

鈥淚 love using a crock pot or Instant Pot so I can throw stuff in there, go to a workout and dinner is hot and ready when I get back,鈥� Quigley says. 鈥淚 also love roasting veggies in the colder months.鈥�

She switches up her vegetables, using a combination of brussels sprouts, carrots, squash, beets, broccoli, turnips, sweet potatoes and cauliflower. Quigley chops up whatever veggies are in season, drizzles olive oil on top, tosses to coat and sprinkles with salt and pepper. Then she pops them in the oven to roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until they鈥檙e crisped up.听

鈥淩ight now, I鈥檓 loving Brussels sprouts and cauliflower done that way,鈥� she says.听

It Runs in the Family

Quigley is a perfect example of how athletic fueling doesn鈥檛 have to be boring. She uses a healthy balance of foods and flavors but focuses on whole, unprocessed foods. She attributes these habits to her parents, who made cooking a priority growing up.

鈥淏oth my parents prioritized healthy food that didn鈥檛 come out of a box or can,鈥� Quigley says. 鈥淭hose principles always supported my athletic endeavors really well, allowing me to fuel my body for all the activities I asked of it 鈥� from dancing and playing soccer to running and training as I got older.

Quigley鈥檚 Rapid-Fire Q&A

Coffee order?

鈥淐appuccino with whole milk. I try not to go out for coffee too much, but if I do it鈥檚 usually a local coffee shop over a chain. If I鈥檓 traveling, I鈥檒l get a cold brew from Starbucks with a little cream.鈥�

Salty or sweet snacks?

鈥淏oth! I like popcorn with chocolate. I make my own popcorn with coconut oil in a big pot. After it pops, I just add salt. The chocolate I eat is usually pretty dark (but not too dark!) My favorite is Ritual Chocolate from Park City, Utah.鈥�

Favorite thing to cook?

鈥淢y homemade granola!鈥� (See recipe below)

Is there a recipe you like that runs in the family?

鈥淭his a Quigley family classic 鈥� it鈥檚 called . It鈥檚 basically a healthy take on a creamy and satisfying dish. The pasta is a total crowd pleaser. I鈥檝e been making it for my teammates for years!鈥�

Do you have any 鈥榮trange鈥� food cravings or snacks?

鈥淚 went through a big savory oats kick for a while there. I was in an oatmeal funk, so I started doing savory oats (sweet potato, chicken stock, roasted chickpeas, etc.) instead of sweet.鈥�

Recipes Mentioned in Article

Steeple Squigs Granola

The post What Olympic Runner Colleen Quigley Eats in a Day appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Olympic athlete Colleen Quigley fuels her mornings with this homemade granola filled with colorful raw nuts, seeds and coconut flakes.

A warning from Quigley: “It goes from “mmmm not quite there” to “shoot, now it’s burnt!” preeeetty quickly. Keep an eye on it!”

Adapted with permission from

The post Steeple Squigs Coconut Granola appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.